Newspaper of Burlington Free Press, December 2, 1836, Page 1

wfa$ NOT THE GLORY OF CjESAR; BUT THE WELFARE OF ROME. BY H. B. STACY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1836. . VOL. X No. 493 GEOLOGY. "Aoe or the World, At the meeting of lne uritisn Association on t rnlay, lite only tart elicited through die evening, wna the declaration of vt uucKiand, ntitt millions ol yenra must liencelar ward be assigned to I lie age of the world, nnd that the best Hebrew schollars had laiely given a new interpretation to the two first verses of Genesis. This nnnonncement of the Rev. Docior wasieceiv d witli an applause tit it lasted sume minutes." We find this paragraph in an English paper giving an account of the proceedings 'of the "Sixth Meeting of the British Asso ciation for the Advancement of Science," held in August last, in Bristol, in England; and it marks in a significant manner the 'influence which these meetings have al ready begun to have upon come ancient 'prejudices that havo greatly retarded the progress of knowledge. These meetings are annually held at one of the large cities 'in Great Britain, and have hitherto been very numerously attended, many hundreds 'ofpersons concurring to them from every Mlredtion; including the leading scientific Vrben both of Great Britain and tho Con titicnt, as well as many oninent noblemen Upon this occasion tve perceive the Mar quia of Landsdowno was in the chair. At these meetings, owing to their admirable arrangement into (tedious, every individual foowever humble his pretensions, appears to fall into his proper sphere ol action. He who cultivates Mathematical and Physical Science joins that section Gcohgy and Geography form another section; Uiemislry and Mineralogy a third; and o on Willi Mechanieal Science, Anatomy and Medi. -iW '&-. Rar.li of lliesu sections hart its President, 4Vice Presidents, Secretaries, ml n numerous committee, and discusses and receives reports-concerning its appro priate branches. The result of this most admirable intellectual effort is, not only to bring together all the isolated attempts to enlarge the boundaries of science, and con. rnnlrnto them into a focus, from which truths of the highest order cnti be reflected but to gnu the sanction ofthu most con spicuous philosophers and lovers of science of the time to those truth. It may easily be conceived what hecatombs of prrjudices will be immolated upon such an altar. The declaration of Dr. Bticland is to be considered in this light. Until the science of geology was brought forward, it hod been from the earliest tunes assented to that the period alluded to in the verse which opens tho first chapter of Genesis as the beginning," was synonymous with the commencement of our common chronology; and hence that general belief, equal almost in force to a point of faith, that the com mencement of the creation of this planet which we inhabit tools place about six thousand years ago. It is not surprising, therefore, when geologists declared, that although such an interpretation of Genesis might very well accord with tho period to which the phenomena on the present sur face ofthe earth, comprehending the exist ence of the human race, may bo assigned, yet that they found undeniable evidences beneath the present surface of the existence of animated beings and plants of older pe riods, and of an antiquity for tho planet that was immeasurable, standing In the ame relation, as far as our powers of dis crimination arc concerned, to the duration of our historic chronology, that one of the smallest fixed stats does to universe! space: we say it is not surprising that this decla. ration should be regarded by many persons es placing geology in a hostile attitude to tevaled religion. They had been educated to believe in the limited construction given to the verse in question, and, being unac quainted with geological truths, were alarmed at an assertion which appeared, although it never was so intended, to bring religious truths in question. This feeling wc have occasion to know has had unduu weight in our own country - We cannot but regard it, therefore, as a most happy circumstance, that, amongst the many eminent men in Europe who have contributed to raise the science of geology to the rank now universally conce. ded to it, Buckland, Conybcarc, and Sedge, wick, bo greatly conspicuous in science, should all be clergymen if great distinc tion, and should all have united in the de claration publicly rnado at Bristol. To this they have been led, not only by their pro found geological knowledge, but by a most careful examination ofthe true meaning of the verse in question, by the most eminent Hebrew scholars. And, since Dr Buck land, a dignitary ofthe University of Ox ford, is the organ through whom the dec laration has been publicly made, wo may consider this question as perfectly settled. That it was considered a very interesting incident, may be perceived by the applause it excited. It civet us unfeigned pleasuro to bring ao interesting a subject to the notice of the Public, especially nines it affords us an op portunity of doing justice to one of tbe most zealous geologists of the age, of our own country, who, many years ago brought for ward the same opinions, unsupported, and which wc have occasion to know were not well received by every body. We think it due to Mr. Featheistonhaugh (now absent on ono of his annual excursions to claim for him the merit to which he h clearly entitled, and which wc cannot more affectually do than by extracting passage, written by him in 1831, from the introduction to tho Monthly American Journal of Geology. JVat. Inl, "There is another and a very numerous class of persons, that has lieen deterred lioni entering upon the study of Natural History by prejudices conceiv ed against Geology, a science which has not at all limes been fairly Healed either by its friends or enemies. Geology, in its most comprehensive sense. denotes Hie History ol nature ; lor its various phe nomena present themselves lo lha consideration of the naturalist, in relation with nil the physical sciences. When Geology, therefore, became ob noxious lo the suspicion that it was hostile to re vealed rclizion, llicstuJv of its branches, to a cer tain extent, was looked upon witli distrust, ns dis posing the mind to scepticism, and lo the belief that lie parts of nature were independent of their Ore alor, because they partook of the perfection of all his works. The modern leaders of Geology have, by their industry, learning, and prudence, almost eradicated these groundless opinions. In the by.gone days of theological zeal, when the majority of zealots almost amounted lo a una nimity, every writer on Gcnlogy was supposed Irouiul to confront nil the physical phenomena with the construction given in a not very enlightened age, lo that brief account of the origin ofthe world, contained in u venerable record devoted lo the mor al instruction of men. The Theologian said lo the Naturalist, 'you will find it recorded in the Bible, that iho world was created out of nolliinir. about six thousand years ago, in the space of six days of oar moaern computed time, nnd mat, nuout lour thousand years ago, it was overwhelmed by n deluge of water, which destroyed all living things that did not enter into the ark of Noah. 1 he curious petrefactions jou say yon find, nre I lie remains of the animals mid plants winch lived Irom the crea' lion to the deluge. This is what you must believe if you wil not run the risk of being driven from joci IV as irreligious and anti-social.' "In usintr the term 'brief account of the origin ofthe world, in refeienne to the Mosaic account, it is the eontlructxon given lo a short passage in that record, which it is meant to iinpun, und not the record itself, in the reverence of which the writer or these pages has been educated. In the ancient patriarchal limes men believed the sun went round the earth in consequence of the apparent motion of that luminary, it is elated in the mule, that Josh ua commanded the sun lo stand still, when he en compassed Gibeon'; and that it 'stood still, and hast ened not to go down a whole day.' In recording events of a miraculous character, it is evident the historian spoke in such figures only as could be un derstood. Hail the sjcred writer said that Joshua had commanded the earth to stand still, he would not have been comprehended. The assertion, per haps would have been deemed blasphemous, us con trary to God's liwa. Cunnecled with this natural prejudice, the force of education had given an an- cient construction lo the account in Genesis of the crea I ion of the world, the effect of which has been lo put physical and moral truths nppaienlly at va riance with each other. Out as truth cannot con flict wiih itself, we must look for the cause of this discrepancy in human errors. "It is not wild a view to state how utterly Hope less it is lo look for explanations of physical phe nomena in pages consecrated to moral instruction, or huw equally hopeless, and reprehensible too, it would be to look into revelation by the light of Ge ology, that a recurrence to this passage in Genesis win Here lie made ; but rather to reconcile me i ne otogian to a very simple construction of the passage alluded lo, and which is found in Ihe very opening of ihe Bible. 'In the beginning God created the heavens nnd the earth.' Now let the rule of the 1 heologian be applied lo this passage, and let it receive a literal construction. We here find ihe first notice of the creation. We do not find that the heavens and Ihe earth were created six thou sand years ago, or at any olher period of past lime. It is simply snid, 'In the beginning,' a term in the contemplation of which the human min i is lost a midst feelings of conscious weakness and inexpres- ule Humility. W hat mat beginning is coeval Willi, we cannot conceive ; we cannot come so near tu that being, to whom all time is but one present existence ; but we can conceive puinlully, utter our human mode or thinking ol Ihe solitary existence lu which those would nssian the universal Creator during the immeasurable period that preceded the six thousand years at the commencement of which liiey choose to supposo tne ncavens ana me cattb were first created. These words, then, cannot mean Ihe beginning of eternity, which has no beginning; nor are they placed t'tcro tn assert that creation had a beginning, which would bo superfluous, since wo cannot con ceive of anv act without a beginning. With out reference, then, lo any time whatever, we must regard it as a declaration that tho Heav ens and tho earth were created, and by God, leaving room for no inference that they exist ed without a maker. "The next verso is still moro explicit And tho earth was without form and void.' Hero is a declaration that the earth was t and that its creation had been effected ante. cedeully to that period of tirno usually called llio six days ol creation, sucn we may sup poso to havo been tho ceolostcal stato of tho earth, void of all living forms, at tho period immediately preceding mo present orucr ot nature, and which is slated to havo been effec ted In the distribution of six days' work men tioned in Genesis. Now wo find no allusion n tho lliblo to the reolocical periods which preceded tho restoration of tho surface, or to tho mineral and organic evidences' which we now find, under such various circumstan ces, in Iho crust of tho earth, and many of which he at vast depths from tho present surface. Tho inspired historian, had he beon competent to tho disclosure, would probably have deemed it foreign to the moral purpose he had in view, and would have preferred leaving such discoveries to tho restless In quiries of man, always seeking to enlarge tho boundaries ol knowlodge, and aestinea to construct, out of geological phenomena, one of the strongest bulwarks of natural theol. ogy. . . . "It is evident that it was not a principal object in the narrativo of the Jewish cosmog ony to make such allusions, or to treat Ihe subjects spokon of with any patticular accu racy. 1 he evenings and tho mornings ol the first, second and third days are enumerated before the creation of tho sun is mentioned, From these considerations it may bo reasona bly maintained that the account of the crea tion in Genesis concerns only the present or der of nature, and is by no means involved with the ancient ecological periods that pre cede all records. Under the influence of a spirit of mutual candor, we see here a common ground for the Theologian and Geologist to . .. . . l: stand comiortaoiy upon , ono wnicn unogs prejudice neither to religion nor science, and which admits of our mutually co operating tooradicate entirely tho ancient errors, that our small planet was tho sole motive for uni versal creation, that it is tho centra of the uni verse, that tho sun rolls round it, and that no great part of it existed moiothan six thou sand ycats ago. Tho greater part of this mass of error has indeod bocn in modern times is. solatcd and extirpated, but its influenco still exists, in that most erroneous opinion, which substitutes for tho creation of tho earth tho renovation of its surface. "It results from this method of considering the subject that our planet is immeasurably moro ancient than tho period assigned for its age by tho chronological constructions that havo obtained so lon.and that this immense antiquity is by no means at variance with the account in Genesis." From Tail's Magazine. TO tbe AMERICAN SEA SERPENT The monstrous crockodile, The EldonoftheNile, That hypocritically cries O'er the devoted prey lie draws Within the Chancery of bis laws Whose huge dimensions learned folks discuss. Describing him a living omnibus I (By which, if thou'rt inclined to ride, I'ray book a place for one but not t'nii'ds!) Though he is, cenes.of a monstrous size, He's but a shrimp to thee Terrific serpent of the sea ! The broad balaena whale Is not a patch upon thy tail ! ( Which puis gicat Dan O'Connel out of joint, And sages say in length exactly tallies Willi that of the dread comet yclep'd Ilalley's; But this I say is a disputed point.) Nny, e'en the Kraken vasl Which grae Ponloppidan, Norwegian bishop, Serves le his readers, a. a curious dish, up Would scarce suffice to break thy last. The total ocean brine t. To thee is but a tiny Strptntine ; Wherein ihy facile folds be ofttiines curl'd Stupendous I'ython that can clasp the world ! 'Tis said, and we may well believe Thou art the serpent that first tempted Eve, In Eden's fair primeal bowers ; Whence, driven to ihe sea for the dread crime. Thou bast been zrovine ever since that time. And now.with matchless bulk asioundest ours, When slretch'd at length 'lis rather droll Thy tail doth touch ihe south, Whilst, with thy pointed mouth, Thou breath's! the bracing air of the north pole, But when thou turn's), (he student of Mercator Beholds a very palpable equator, And should'st thou, listless, oi ihe way recline, Seamen perceie thee from Ihe mast Antl cry, 'avast ! Yonder's the equinoctial lint.' Then, to puisue iheir voyage at a loss, they Are somewhat disinclined lo crott thee ! I And, if ihou mov'st, their terrors donfcV iminish How do itiey tremble nt thy rising moj$t, Great mayor of ihe ocean ! Who, when itiou mak'st u motion, Art sure to carry it, 'tis plain ! And when ihou show's! a fin, they fear a finish When sick of sail and water, thou on high, Rearest lliy awful head towards the sky Thy tail beneath the billows, and thy snout Touching the clouds, thou seem'stn water spout And, while thy stomach disembogued) seas, The distant steersman, trembling at the helm, Fearing the deluge may his bark o'erwhelm, Swift tacks about, and from the danger flees. "Farewell ! a long fat well !" For I Have other smaller fish to fry ; Yet this in truth I tell Respectfully I bid thee a good by. Constrain'd am I lo end my song;, Which else must fail ; For thou'rt a iheme so long. Although enough I've said Upon that head, Tis clear I never can complete thy tall. Selections 7I0M LITE FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS. Solidified Am. At a late meeting of the Academy ofbcienccs a chemist, named Thiloricr, exhibited some carbonic acid gas changed to the state, of a solid substance. This experiment has been performed on a small scale already, but in thW instance several pounds were produced. The agents employed to effect the result are cold and compression; the chemical energy tuns de veloped may be judged by the fact, that half a pound of quicksilver placed in con tact with the solid gas was frozen in a few seconds into a solid mass, which required a heavy blow from a hammer to break it. M. Thiiorier obtains this solid carbonic ac id in an enormous cast iron cylinder, capa ble of resisting the pressure of sixty atmos pheres. This degree of strength is of course needed to resist the tendency ol the solidified gas lo dissolve and pass again into tho oviform state. By allowing a small quantity to escape through a minute aperture, u is seen tu uiuuaa uogh in mu form of a snowy vapor; this vapor being directed in a jet into a box of tin unites, forms a mass which may be pressed togeth er like common snow, and so transferred to a vessel of glass. In this form tho gas was presented to the institute oy ni. uuiong, to whom M. Thiloricr successively furnished several masses, obtained by his apparatus n a laboratory adjoining tho place of meet ing. This must oo auangerous amuse ment. We find the following curious and inter esting scientific information in the ''pro ceedings ofthe British Association," at their late meeting in Bristol. It is not too much lo predict, from this and other state ments, that the whole science of geology has yet to bo modified by discoveries in electricity and magnetism. "On the 4lh day Andrew Cross, Esq. of Bloomfield, Somerset, came forward, and stated that ho came to Bristol to be a listener only, and with no idea that he should be called upon to address the Sec lion. He was no geologist, and but little of a mineralogist; he had, however, devot ed much of his time to electricity, and he had lately been occupied in improvement? in the voltaic power, 'by which he had succeeded in keeping it in full forco for twelve months by water alone, rejecting 1 ? I W- r. i i acios entirely, air rosso men proceeaea to state that he had obtained water from a finely crystalizcd cave at Holwcll, and by the action of tho voltaic battery had suc ceeded in producing from that watcr,in tho course of ten days, numerous rhombodial crystals, resembling those of the cave. In order to ascertain if light had any influence in the process, he tried it again in n dark cellar, and produced similar crystals in six days, with one fourth ofthe voltaic power. He had repeated the experiments a hun drcd times, and always with the eamo rc suits. He was fully convinced that it was poesiblo to mako even diamonds, and eventually every kind of mineral will be formed by the ingenuity of man. By a variation of his experiments he had obtain, ed bluo and gray carbonate of copper, phosphato of soda, and twenty or thirty other specimens. If any members of the association would favor him with a visit at his house they would be received with hos. pitality, though in a wild and savage region on the Quantock hills, and he should be proud to repeat his experiments in their presence. Mr C. eat down amidst long continued cheering. "Professor Sedgwick said he had dis covered in Mr. Crosse a friend, who some years ago kindly conducted him over the Quantock hills, on tho way to Taunton. The residence of that gentleman was not, as bo had described it, in a wild and savage region, but seated amidst the sublime and beautiful in Nature. At that time he was engaged in carrying on the most gigantic experiments, attaching voltaic lines to the trees ofthe forest, and conducting through them streams of lightning as large as the mast of a 74 gun-ship, and even turning them thro' his house with tho dexterity of an able charioteer, .sincerely did lie con gratulate the Section on what they had heard and witnessed that morning. The operations of electrical phenomena, in instances of which have been detailed to them, proved that the whole world, even darkness itself, was steeped in everlasting light, the fisrt-born of Heaven. However Mr. Crosse may have hitherto concealed himself, from this time forth he must stand before tho world as public property. "Professor Phillips said the wonderful discovery of Mr. Crosse and Mr Fox would open a field of science in which ages might be employed in exploring and imitating the phenomena of Nature." The Royal Printing Office at Paris. According to the last inventory that has been published of this establishment, it contains the types of 56 founts of oriental characters, which comprehend all the well known alphabets ofthe nations of Asia. an. cient as well ns modern. There are 16 al phabets of different European nations who do not employ the Roman characters, and of these latter the establishment possess 46 complete founts, of various forms and di- menstons. All tneso mums wcign at. ieasi 820,000 pounds. Tho consumption of pa. per at tho Royal Printing-office in a single year amounts, on an average, to fromUO to 100,000 reams per day, which are printed for the use of tho several public boards. Tho number of workmen employed regu larly is from 350 to 450. Original Plan up a Grocer. A gro cer, named Patrick Thomson, residing at Glasgow, in an advertisement in the Ulas- gow Courier, states that, as soon as he shall have made 150,000 cash retail sales to the extent of 5s. each, he will present to one of his customers his house, offices, and garden; and he proposes that the choice shall he determined in tho follow ing manner: Every customer s name snail bo enrolled in respect of each 5s. purchase in a book open to every purchaser, and when tho 150,000 sales shall have been effected, the 150,000 numbers correspond inn; to thoso names shall be put into a wheel made for the purpose, and, after the wheel has been revolved, one name or number shall be drawn from the wheel, to whom ho will present the house, offices, and garden, free of expense or incum brance. He will give the customer, if he wishes it, 1.000 pounds instead of the property, deducting five per cent, for prompt payment. The enrolment com menced on the 1st of September, and Mr. Thomson slates that a considerable num ber of names havo been entered. Mr. Thomson's 5s. purchases would produce 37,500 pounds, and supposing he only ob. tained a profit of 25 por cent, his nott prof, it would amount to $45,000! Hyperborean Cold. Captain Back, in his narrative of tho arctic expedition in search of Captain Ross, gives some very curious illustrations ofthe severity of cold endured by himself and his companions. Sulphuric ether, in a tightly stopped bot tle, became opaque in fifteen minutes, and deposited a thick sediment, and the upper surfaco ofthe sides of the bottle was coat ed with ice. Mercury 62 degrees below n - 1 .1 1 . .1 zero, iieing removeu to iub nuusu, aim placed within four and a halt leet ol a brisk fire, the ether was forty-two minutes in recovering its transparency. Tompera ture ofthe room 32 degrees abovo zero. Nitric ether lost its transparency in two hours. A drachm and a half of sulphuric ether being placed in a bottle, and exposed to the cold out of the houso until it became thick, the stopper was withdrawn and a match applied, when the ether ignited with a sharp explosion. Pyroligneous acid froze in less than an hour. Mercury 57 degrees below zero. Rectified spirit diluted with ao equal quan tity of water, frozo in the same time. Rum became thick in a few minutes. Two parts of puro spirit, diluted with one of water, frozo solid in three hours; mer cury 65 degrees below zero. A surface of mercury, in a saucer, became solid in two hours. In a small room, a fire of eight largo sticks of dry wood could only raiso tho temperaturo to 12 degrees below zero, and ink and paint froze in tins room. Uaptain Back placed his table as near tbe fire as ho could bear the heat, yet his camel's hair pencil was frozen to a stiff point, and he had to give up his drawing. Cases and boxes of seasoned fir split so ns to bo use less. The skin of tho hands and face cracked into unsightly and painful gashes, then were obliged tn be filled with grease. On one occasion Captain B. washed his faco and head, standing within thrco feet of the lire, anil his hair actually became stiff with ice before he could dry it. Blasting rocks with a streak o'lighlning. A London paper of recent date, mentions an instance which lately occurred in Prus sia, where, in order to get rid of an cnor. mous rock, and to avoid tho ordinary ex. pense of tho undertaking, a deep holo was bored into the rock, into which was fixed a bar of irontwenty.eight feet high, for the purpose of attracting lightning. After which, it is stated, on tho first thunder storm, the rock was shattered into frag ments. We calculate this is making use ofthe ligtning and beating Jonathan with a vengeance! THE DARDANELLES. The Dardanelles it a Turkish town, sup posed to be built on the site ofthe ancient Dardanus, and so corrupted into its ores cnt name, which it gives to the straits. Mere stand the famous castles which pro tcct the passage to the capital, one on each side tho Hellespont, where there are still to be seen those imense piccies of ordnance which discharge masses of granite pillars instead of balls of metal. The Turks ore alone, I believe, in the use of these unman ageable instruments of destruction, and they originated in the following circum stance : When Mahomet II. laid siege to Constantinople, a Hungarian armorer, who had been in tho service of tho Greeks, in consequence of some ill usage, deserted to tho Turks, and was brought before the Sultan. He asked him if he could cast a cannon that would batter a breach in the walls of the city ; and the Hungarian un dertook to do so- A foundry was estab lished at Adrianople for tho purpose, and in three months the artist produced ono of stupendous size. The bore, as described by historians, was twelve palms, or three .feet; it projected a granite ball of six hun dred pounds weight; the explosion was felt in a circumiercncu ol thirteen miles, and the ball was sent a mile, and bedded itself two yards deep in a mound of earth. In the region of Ambrath, another was cast of a still more extraordinary kind; it was composed of two parts, united like a screw barrel pistol. The difficulty of loading it rendered it nearly useless, till Baron de Tott undertook to discharge it. The ball weighed clnvcn hundred pounds, and it required thirty-three pounds of powder. He felt the chock, ho said, at eight hun dred fathoms distaco like an earthquake; the ball divided into threo pieces, struck Ihe opposite side ofthe strait, and rcbaun dd on the mountains, to the great terror ot tne i urKs. When Admiral Duckworth repassed the Dardanelles, alter hn fruitless attempt on the capital, his fleet was greatly shattered oy tneso tremendous engines, Tho royal George was nearly sunk with one ball, which destroyed her cut-water. The mainmast of the Windsor Castle was at moat cut in two, and tho Repulso had her wneei snot away, ana seventeen men killed or wounded by a single shot. Tho largest ball that struck our ships was one of gra nito, of eight hundred pounds weight, and two feet two inches in diameter. It stove in the whole larboard bow of the Active, and having crushed this immense mass of solid timber like so much paper, tho shot rolled ponderously aft along the orlop deck and stopped near tho main hatchway, an object of wonder to the crew, who made a lane for it to pass. But the most extraor dinary effect was told me by an officer in one of the ships of the fleet, I think he said the Standard. Tho ball passed in on her larboard quarter, between decks, and meeting with the stem ofthe mizen, which was encased with iron, it madu a sort of gyration round it during which the friction elicited Irom the iron a stream of scintillat ing sparks, which communicated to some powder lying about it. An immediate ex plosion took place, which nearly rent the desks asunder, and forty persons were, moro or less, injured by the effects of this one ball. He gave me a fragment of granite, which, ho said, was part of the bell; it abounded with grains of qudrtz, which acted on the iron of the roast like flint on steel, and so caused the ignition of the powder. I found theso immense pieces of ordnance lying on the ground without carriages, and apparently in very awkward and unmana geable situations, so that they can only be discharged from one position at objects just before them. A short time after, I was coming up the Dardanelles on board an English mer chantman; sho was armed against tho pi rates ofthe Archipelago, and had a few real and more false guns, so that sho had much tho appearance ol a ship of war. She had been waiting for a wind at the mouth of tho strait, and when a strong and favorable breeze sprang up, she hastened to take every advantage of it. Wo wero sweeping along at the rate of ten knots by the cas tles, when we were hailed by tho sentinel to bring to; but the captain was a stout, sturdy man, and ho swore he would not stop and lose the wind for the Sultan him self; so we took no notice. Presently the alarm was givcn.the guard turned out,and, just as wo were opposite a great gun, an artilleryman applied a match. My mind was filled with the accounts I had heard, and what I had seen myself of these en gines; and when I was now at no great distance, actually looking into tho enor mous mouth, and saw a lighted match ap plied at tho other end, I thought in one moment it was all over with us. Provi dentially it burnt pruning, and before the tardy Turks could replace tho powder, we bad passed beyond tbo range of tho ehol. When they saw this, they were exceeding ly angry; they shodte'd with menacing at titudes; but all the artillerymen could now do was to shake his lighted linstock at us. "All bAggaoe at the nts-k or me owners." It has lately become Very com mon for incorporated rail road and steam boat Companies to advertise conspicuously, in tho above words, in order to screen thonisclvcs from liability, in case of the loss or miscarriage of any baggtigo en trusted to their care. To tost the legality in regard to the operation ofsiich an adver. lisemcnt, two suite havo recently been in stituted against the Camden and Am boy Kail Hoad Uompany, in ooin ot wntcn iuii and ample damages wero given for tbe nlaintiffs. An action was. then on Tues day of last week, in the Supreme Court; before Chief Justice Jones, in wlffcli the above company were defendants, and Mr. Ralzamon Bclknapp was the plaintiff; for tho recovery of a trunk entrusted to' their care for transportation to Philadel phia. It was urged on the part of the defend ants, that the missing property had not. been left in the care of any ofthe agents of the company, but was merely placed in tho office, while the plaitiff was paying his faro as a passenger; the advertisement announcing that the company were not re sponsible, &c was also read in conrt. On the part of the plaintiff, it was conten. ded, that although the defendants did give notice that they refused to be responsible for tho loss of property falling into their possession in the regular course of their business operation, under the sanction and by the authority of their charter, yet their edicts wero utterly futile and of no avail, ana" they were liable, both in equity and law, fur the loss or destruction, linder sucA ctVcumsfancei, nf any chatties, or goods be longing to olher persons. In his charge to jury the learned judge coincided with the plainliirs counsel, ana ine jury awarucu damages in the sum of three hundred dot. lars, for Iho plaintiff. So that all bsggago is not at tho owner's risk. ff. Y. JITercan. ANECDOTE OP GEN. PUTNAM. Among the worthies who figured during' the era ofthe American Revolution, per haps there was norie possessing more orig inality of character than Gen. Putnam, whd was eccentric and fearless, blunt in his manners, the daring soldier without the polish of the gentleman. He mjght well be called the Marion of tho north, though he disliked disguise, probably from the fact of his lisping, Which was very apt lo over flow any trickery ho might havo in view The following anecdote was related to us by an elderly gentleman, who received it from the mouth of his father, who served under the General. At one time a strong hold called one neck, 6on1e miles above New York was irt possession of the British. Putnam, with a few sturdy patriots was lurking in its vi cinity bent on driving them from the place. Tired of lying in ambdsH, the men became impatient and importuned the General with questions as to whom they were going to have a 'bout with the foe. One morning he made a speech something to the follow ing effect, winch convinced them'that some tbing was in tho wind; "Fellers you've been Idle too long, and so have I. I'm going down to Bush' at Horse-neck in an hour with an ox team1 and a load of corn; if I corrio back I will let you know all tbo particulars, if I should not let'em have it by tho hokey !" He shortly afterwards mounted his ox cart dressed as one of the commonest ; or der of yankec farmers, and was soon at. Bush's tavern, which waa in pdssessiou of the British troops. No sooner did the offi cers espy hint than tbey began to question him as to his whereabouts, and finding hint a complete simpleton fas they thought) they began to quiz him and threatened lo seize the corn and fodder. 'How much do you ask for tour whold consarn?' asked they. 'For marcy sake gentlemen.' replied tho mock clod-hopper, with the most deplorable look of entreaty, 'only let me off and yotl shall havo my hull team and load for noth ingand if that wdnt dew, I'll give you toy word I'll return to morrow end pay you heartily for your kindness and condescen. eion,' 'Well,' said they, 'we'll tako them at your word, leave the team and provender with us, and we won't require any bail for your appearance.' I'ulnam gavo up tho team, sauntered about an hour or so, gaining all the infor mation that he wished: ho then returned to to his men, and told of tho disposition of the; foc.and his plan of attack. Iho tcorning came, and with it sallied out the gallant band. The British wero handled with rough hands, and when they surrendered to Gen. Putnam, the clod hop. per.he sarcastically remarked, 'Gentlemen; I havo only kept my word, I told you 1 would call and pay you for your kindness and condescension.' Ball. Trails. Imposter Imposed ufoh. A Dhvsielsn irl tho county of Worcester, of sickly appear ance, yet in pcrlcct health, visited Sylvan better known in this city by tho name of Dr. Rainwater, with the express view bo to impose nn tho celebrated quack as to raise a laugh at his expense. lie repreaen. ted himself as feeble, but ignorant of his complaint. Sylvan asked many questions; and received as many grave answers. Tho mock patient was anxious to hear tho result, and asked in a mournful tone, 'can yoti cure me?' 'No, it is impossible.' 'Why so,' said the other 'You have,' answered tho quack, a soft place in your head whith no medical skill can aire. Boston Galaxy. Hcichl of Bullvism To rasllrratn with a whlD or cowhida a man ui linen nn.nlu avowed religious principle! forbid bil figbu tug oou iu eeii-uBiuucc,